


Out of Your League

by Lampsprite



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 09:24:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1599797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lampsprite/pseuds/Lampsprite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is Berk High. My high school. In a word? Average. It's been here for seven generations and every single building is exactly the same. We have Physics, English, and a charming view of the parking lot. The only problems are the students. You see, most places have jocks or nerds...but we have...Jack Frost and his fan club.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out of Your League

"Hey, Hic. How’s it hanging?"

Hiccup struggled to stay upright on his bad foot just as Jack draped an arm across his shoulders. He could already feel the heat rising in his cheeks, but he turned anyway, just in time to catch Jack grinning ebulliently at him only a few inches away from his face.

Hiccup swallowed and shrugged in an awkward, jerky movement, then shoved a random text book into his open locker, using it as an excuse to look away. He could practically feel Astrid’s knowing smirk burning into his back, which really wasn’t helping.

“Um…” He squeaked then coughed into his hand, hoping his voice sounded steadier to Jack than it did in his own head. “Fine.”

"Any plans for the weekend?" Jack asked, then released him in favor of opening his own locker just next to Hiccup's.

Jack’s pale fingers turned the combination lock with ease, and Hiccup stared at them for a long moment before he realized what he was doing, and looked away. “Not really.”

Which was a stupid answer, because he was actually working most of the weekend in the shop with Gobber on a couple of orders. He couldn’t seem to think straight when Jack was around, though. Not since his best friend from elementary school had left at the end of fifth grade only to move back to Berk the summer before Twelfth looking like...well, like he did now. It was inconvenient. It was a curse.

He heard Astrid huff behind him and he sent her a desperate look, urging her to stay quiet. She only raised a brow and shook her head exasperatedly. Hiccup wondered if Jack would think it was weird if he just buried his face in his locker until Jack left, but he didn’t want to give Astrid more ammunition.

"Cool," Jack replied obliviously. He closed his locker and leaned against it with one strap of his brown book bag swung casually over his shoulder, head ducked and brows raised in an unfairly attractive expression. Hiccup's mouth went dry and he nearly dropped his drawing pad. "You wanna hang out Saturday?"

"Oh…um." Crap. Hiccup thought fast, feeling like an idiot. "Actually, I just remembered I’m going to be busy at work."

"Oh." Jack frowned, but it flickered back into a grin before Hiccup could blink. "What about Sunday?"

"Yeah," Hiccup uttered weakly. "I’m actually busy all weekend. You know, work has been pretty hectic the last few weeks."

"Right." Jack nodded, and he looked away, brows knitting as he pushed a hand through his white hair. "Well, just thought I’d ask."

Some girls, who Hiccup could have sworn were at least two grades below them, passed and waved at Jack, sashaying their hips. “Hello, Jack!”

"Ladies," Jack greeted with a grin and a wave of his hand.

The girls giggled and flipped their long hair over their shoulders.

Hiccup slammed his locker closed with more force than he’d meant to and it popped right back open, hitting him in the face. “Ack!”

"Hey, you alright?" Jack questioned, glancing back at him, his brows knit with concern.

Hiccup rubbed at his sore nose and blinked the sting from his eyes. All he needed to top off his humiliation was to look like he was crying. He waved Jack off. “No, uh...that was nothing. Happens all the time. I’m used to it.”

Jack frowned and Hiccup cringed. He needed to stop talking. He could feel Astrid shaking her head behind him. He didn’t even need to look anymore to know.

"Right," Jack murmured, his brows still knit, but he started walking backward and raised his hand. "Well, see ya later, Hic."

"Bye," Hiccup responded feebly, and watched Jack turn and join the rest of the student body on their slog through the halls to their fourth period classes of the day.

Hiccup tried really hard not to bang his head against his locker door and pressed his forehead against the cool metal instead. He felt Astrid watching him.

“Don’t even start, Astrid.”

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were going to," Hiccup accused, feeling sorry for himself. Because she was.

Astrid sighed. “Hiccup, when are you going to tell him?”

"I don’t know…what you’re talking about," Hiccup tried.

"You know exactly what I’m talking about."

Hiccup frowned, conceding defeat. It had been worth a shot, probably. He pushed away from his locker and shrugged. “That’d only end in disaster.”

Astrid crossed her arms, looking unimpressed. “You don’t know that.”

"Oh, come o - " Hiccup pushed a hand through his hair and gestured around him. "There’s no way that would end well. You saw those girls earlier. He’s…popular and good looking, and I’m…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

"You’re what?" Astrid prompted, raising a brow and flipping some stray bangs out of her face.

"Not," Hiccup finished, looking down and scuffing the linoleum floor with the boot of his good foot.

It was silent for a moment and then Astrid stepped forward, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look her in the eye.

"You’re an idiot," she accused.

"Gee, thanks, Astrid," Hiccup muttered dryly, flattening and lowering his brows.

"Hiccup," she sighed aggravatedly, releasing his chin and gesturing to all of him. "You are smart, and funny, and the best looking boy in this school. Jack would be crazy not to notice or appreciate that."

"Wha - ? Astrid." Hiccup laughed awkwardly, shaking his head. "Oh, that’s a good joke. You can’t be - "

"You are," she insisted, blue eyes boring into his. "Would I lie to you?"

"Um…" Hiccup uttered, nonplussed, because no, she wouldn’t. In fact, she was usually brutally honest.

"You were a gangly kid," she acknowledged. "But puberty was very good to you, Hiccup, and if you weren’t batting for the other team, I’d definitely tap that."

"Um…" Hiccup squeaked, because what? That was so…

She smiled, unperturbed by her admission. “I can’t believe you, honestly. Have you seen yourself in a mirror lately?”

"Uhh…" Hiccup uttered stupidly, his mouth hanging open. Of course he had, but he hadn't noticed anything particularly mind blowing. He looked different yeah, taller, with a sharper jaw, maybe, but he was still almost painfully skinny with freckles all over his skin. He didn’t look anything like Jack, who had come back from Burgess lanky and toned with styled, white hair that made him constantly look like he’d just rolled out of bed after a long night of…Hiccup coughed. Yeah, Hiccup didn’t have a chance in Hel of looking like that.

Astrid rolled her eyes. Obviously reading all of his thoughts correctly in the way only a good friend of many years could. She looked him up and down. “You’re actually gorgeous, but you do a really good job of hiding it in those baggy clothes of yours. I’ll give you that.”

Hiccup frowned, glancing down at his skinny brown khakis and olive green hoody. “I like my clothes. They’re durable.”

Astrid raised a brow.

"What? This isn’t going to lead to makeover montage, is it?" Hiccup questioned weakly.

Astrid shook her head, but Hiccup caught her lips twitching and he smiled.

She punched him in the arm, and he flinched, rubbing at the sore spot. “Ouch. Wha - ? Why am I your friend, again?”

"You’re obviously a sucker for abuse," Astrid accused pointedly. "You need to make a move on Jack before somebody else does. I’m not going to feel sorry for you if you waste your chance."

"You’re the only one who seems to think I have one," Hiccup muttered.

"I don’t know," she stated. "Jack might agree with me."

"You can’t know that."

"I would if you asked him," she pointed out.

Hiccup stared at her for a moment, then remembered to close his mouth. He let out a long breath. “Astrid, I don’t even know if he likes guys.”

Astrid actually smiled, a short disbelieving laugh leaving her lips. She raised her brows and leaned forward. “Are you serious?”

"Um…" Hiccup frowned, bemused.

"You are," she stated, eyes widening. "Hiccup, he showers twice a day and styles his hair in PE."

"He has good hygiene." Hiccup shrugged. “That doesn’t necessarily mean – “

"He’s had the most sought after girls in our school practically throwing themselves at him ever since he got here, but he’s never dated any of them," she pointed out, cutting him off. "Not even Toothiana, who, according to the last yearbook poll, every guy in this school wants to date. Hiccup, I saw her crying in the girl’s bathroom after class last month because she’d invited him out for a pizza and he’d said, ‘no, sorry, pizza isn’t really my thing.’ Which was clearly an excuse. I mean, who doesn’t like pizza?"

Hiccup frowned. Even he could admit that was a good point. He stuffed his drawing pad into his favorite black backpack, running his fingers over the patch he’d sewn on with a red insignia of a dragon on it. “It’s still not that easy.”

"Not if you keep rejecting his requests to hang out," she agreed.

"I was busy!" He protested.

"Hiccup," she stated seriously. "He’s been asking to hang out with you every day for the past three weeks."

"Gobber’s been getting a lot of new orders," Hiccup insisted weakly, which was true, technically. "I don’t have any time."

Astrid shook her head. “You need to make time, because Jack isn’t going to keep asking forever.”

Hiccup frowned.

Astrid’s expression softened. “You were best friends once, right? Just start with that, and see what happens.”

Hiccup swallowed, but he recognized when it was best to admit defeat.

His stomach flipped over at the very thought, though. Maybe he had been avoiding Jack a little bit, but he honestly didn’t know how he’d handle being alone with him outside of school without embarrassing himself. Maybe it was crazy, but it was better to interact with Jack on the limited time they had available to them at school than to risk losing that interaction entirely because he messed it all up somehow.

But Astrid was right. He closed his eyes. Jack was obviously trying to spend more time with him and he couldn’t keep avoiding him outside of school. Who knows how long it would be before Jack took it badly and stopped talking to him entirely?

Hiccup nodded to her.

Astrid smiled and punched him in the arm again, lightly this time. “Good.”

The bell rang and Hiccup followed her to their next class, palms already sweating. He shared his last class of the day with Jack. He’d have to talk to him then. Maybe he’d ask if they could hang out sometime Friday night.

Yeah. Okay. He was a Viking, right? Distantly on his father and mother’s side, of course, but the point was he had Viking blood, and they were strong, courageous people who stabbed first and asked questions later, supposedly. His ancestors wouldn’t have balked at talking to a boy they liked. Especially a boy who spent so much time styling his hair with high-end salon product.

No, this was nothing. He could do this.

 

* * *

 

Nope. He couldn’t do this.

"Relax, Hiccup." Astrid pat him on the back as he stood in the doorway to his last class of the day. "It’s Physics, your favorite subject."

"That’s not the part I’m worried about," he muttered, spotting Jack in the room by his tell-tale wisp of snow white hair. The teen had propped his long legs on his desk and was casually leaning back on his chair, teetering it dangerously on the back legs. A couple girls, Heather and Ana were glancing back at him from their seats in the front. Jack noticed them and grinned. Both Heather and Ana turned back around, giggling. Hiccup felt like a lead weight had dropped into his stomach.

"It’s not that bad," Astrid insisted, and then she shoved him through the threshold. "Just get in there."

Hiccup stumbled inside, landing awkwardly on his prosthetic foot for a moment, before he straightened and turned to send her an exasperated look, but she was already turning around to get to her class, her hand in the air.

“Have fun, Fishbone.”

"Ah, Fishbone. I see," Hiccup muttered under his breath. "Way to inspire confidence, Astrid. Thanks."

“Hey, Hic.”

Hiccup turned around to see Jack waving at him with a grin and he stiffened, but at least he remembered to raise his hand in response this time. The first day Jack had done that, which was the first time Hiccup had seen him since elementary school, Hiccup’s knees had nearly given out. “Hey.”

Jack swung his frost blue, limited-edition, winter holiday converses off of his desk and leaned forward, pushing a hand through his hair. Every strand fell back into place which should have been impossible, yet managed to happen every time Jack did it. “How was PE?”

Hiccup shrugged and forced his legs to move like a normal person. He sat down in his usual seat beside Jack’s. Well, really, it had been Hiccup’s desk in this room every year, right in the back near a window where he liked it, but Jack had plopped down at the desk beside his on the first day of their Senior year three months ago and he hadn’t relinquished it since. Let’s just say it hadn’t exactly helped Hiccup’s concentration. It was a good thing this was Hiccup’s best subject or else his grades might have slipped.

He shoved his backpack under his desk and noticed Jack’s expectant gaze when he sat back up. PE. Right. Of course Jack had to ask about what was, without a doubt, his worst and arguably most embarrassing subject.

"Oh, you know," Hiccup looked up at the ceiling and traced a loop in the air with his finger. "The usual."

"That bad, huh?" Jack chuckled.

Hiccup could feel his face heat, the traitor, and he rubbed at the nape of his neck nervously. It was heartening to know his physical abilities apparently hadn’t improved much since elementary school. He grimaced and rolled a shoulder, stretching the sore tendons.

“Today was flag football, but Snotlout decided the game was only fun if he could tackle.”

Jack frowned. “Man, that guy hasn’t changed.”

"Yeah, I’ve got the bruises to prove it," Hiccup agreed before he could think much about how lame that made him sound.

"He still bullies you?" Jack questioned, and he looked a combination of incredulous and angry, his brows rising and his lips pulling down into a scowl. "But you’re so…"

He gestured to all of him and trailed off.

Hiccup sent him a questioning look, bemused.

Jack seemed to freeze and then glanced away, scratching his chin and looking oddly uncomfortable. “You’re not as small as you used to be.”

"I’m still smaller than him," Hiccup pointed out, shrugging. "It’s not a big deal. I’m used to it."

Odin, could he sound any more lame? Hiccup tried not to cringe. It’s not like he couldn’t handle himself, actually. He’d gotten pretty good at diverting Snotlout’s energy into less destructive pursuits by playing off of his big ego with clever wordplay or fighting him off by using his bulkier momentum against him. Mostly he just did a very good job of avoiding him when he could.

"It kind of is a big deal," Jack insisted. "We’re not in elementary school anymore. The guy should learn to lay off."

"It’s not as bad as it used to be," Hiccup defended. "I think he’s just going through the motions because it’s me, but there isn’t the same level of impotent rage he had when we were kids."

"I don’t really see how that’s better, Hic." Jack shook his head. "That might actually be worse. Like now he’s just doing it because he has nothing better to do."

"Maybe," Hiccup agreed helplessly. "But it’s Snotlout. What else would he do if he didn’t have someone to pick on? He isn’t exactly the sharpest sword in the forge."

"You’re right about that," Jack muttered, his brows lowered and a frown tugging at his lips. He raised a brow then and eyed Hiccup. "So, you’re telling me you put up with it because you feel sorry for him?"

Hiccup shrugged. “More or less? I mean…” He glanced up at the ceiling again, trying to think of the best way to explain it. “He’s family…sort of.”

Jack raised both brows.

"Distantly," Hiccup clarified. "On my father’s side."

"Woah," Jack uttered. "Is he like, your cousin?"

"You could say that," Hiccup replied uncomfortably. "He’s my dad’s father’s brother’s grandson. Or something to that effect."

Jack stared at him for a moment with a small frown, clearly trying to work that all out in his head. Then he raised a brow and sat back in his chair. “Lucky you. Holidays must be fun.”

"Yeah," Hiccup murmured. "We don’t get together much actually. My dad and his don’t really get along."

"No kidding," Jack deadpanned. "I mean, the guy did name his kid Snotlout. He sounds crazy."

"Well, technically…that’s a nickname," Hiccup corrected awkwardly. "It’s a Viking thing, or so my dad’s always said."

"Wait." Jack put a hand up, his brows raised. "Seriously? What’s his real name?"

"Seamus," Hiccup replied.

"I feel like I’ve been living a lie," Jack uttered. "Oh my god, don’t tell me your’s is a nickname too."

"Um…"

"Seriously?" Jack questioned, actually looking pained. "How did I not know this!"

Hiccup shrugged. “No one ever calls me by my real name.” Except for his mom before she’d passed away, but he didn’t really want to talk about that.

"Which is?" Jack prompted, raising his brows.

"Hamish," Hiccup muttered. The name felt strange on his tongue. He hadn’t thought of himself as anything but Hiccup since he was a toddler.

"Hm." Jack lowered a brow and cocked his head. "Yeah, I like Hiccup better. It’s cute."

Hiccup really tried to keep his face from heating, but it was hopeless. He wasn’t exactly sure having a cute name was a good thing, but the sentiment made his stomach flutter anyway. He raised a hand and coughed awkwardly into his fist. “Thanks.”

Jack smiled, his white teeth brightening his entire face in a way that was unfairly attractive. “I guess you really are lucky your dad and Snotlout’s don’t get along. The less time spent with that guy the better.”

Hiccup couldn’t help the upward twitch of his lips at Jack’s concern, but he looked away when Jack noticed, busying himself by leaning down and searching his backpack for his physics text book.

His spirits lifted a bit. Maybe Astrid was right. Maybe he did have a chance.

But when he sat back up, text book in hand, Jack was waving at another girl, Rebecca, who had just slipped through the door in a denim skirt that didn’t leave much to the imagination. She sat down at her usual desk on Jack’s other side, her long blonde hair trailing behind her, and pointedly dropped her pencil into the aisle between them. It was hardly an accident or subtle, but Jack immediately dove for it and handed it to her. She ran her finger along the back of his hand when she took the pencil back, and thanked him breathily.

Hiccup ripped his gaze way from her big, brown googoo eyes as she and Jack apparently took a moment to gaze at each other’s faces, and he tried not to feel too disappointed.

It was obvious now that Astrid didn’t know what she was talking about, and he, Hiccup, was ridiculous to let her get his hopes up. He opened his text book and flipped to the page they’d had homework on, trying to distract himself with his favorite lesson to date, mechanical engineering. Although it didn’t work very well when all he could hear was Rebecca giggling at whatever Jack was saying just loud enough that it was audible over the noise of the rest of the students chatting and taking their seats. It also didn’t help that when he looked up toward the front of the class, he spotted Heather and Ana turned in their seats, sending Rebecca a set of identical death glares.

Hiccup frowned and pointedly looked back down at his book. This was stupid.

Luckily, their physics teacher, Mr. Sanderson, glided into the room and hopped up onto his desk at the front so everyone could see him. Hiccup liked him, but for a teacher, he didn’t talk much, more like, at all. At least he compensated by writing and drawing a lot on the black board in golden chalk. The class quieted down, but not before Rebecca giggled one last time and Jack sat back in his seat, twirling his mechanical pencil across his fingers and back. Hiccup realized he was staring at them again and ripped his gaze away before Jack could notice.

Mr. Sanderson took attendance as he always did, by writing everyone’s name in elegant cursive on the black board and checking them off every time a student raised their hand. When Jack’s name was written, he raised a finger and grinned. “Yo, Sandy.”

There was an audible sigh from the female population of the room.

Hiccup sank into his seat.

When his name was ‘called’, he raised a hand and murmured, “Here,” like he always did. Needless to say, no one sighed dreamily in response. Further proof that Astrid must have been sniffing what all the kids on the street apparently referred to as Dragon Nip. Or so he’d been told by a reliable source. Tuffnut was clearly high on something, so he had to be the leading authority on these types of things, right? In any case, Hiccup decided he’d just take his word for it, as Hiccup was apparently (Tuffnut’s words), ‘too school for cool.’ Whatever that meant. Probably that Tuffnut was high when he’d said it, but yeah. Dragon Nip. Powerful stuff.

Mr. Sanderson completed roll call and Hiccup was ready to leaf through his text book to the right page when, instead of writing a page number, Mr. Sanderson wrote, ‘4 week project’ in his large golden script, followed by, ‘choose your partner.’

Heather and Ana squealed and glanced back at Jack with hungry looks. Rebecca actually stuck the end of her pen into her mouth and pulled it out slowly, side-eyeing Jack predatorily. Jack seemed remarkably oblivious to the attention, though, and Hiccup jolted in his seat when Jack leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You and me?" Jack mouthed silently around a grin, gesturing to Hiccup and back to himself.

Hiccup’s stomach suddenly felt like a flock of birds had hatched and took flight inside of it, and he was sure his freckled face was now about as attractively red as a tomato, but he managed to nod stiffly in reply.

Jack beamed at him, and Hiccup’s heart nearly jumped up into his throat. He looked away self-consciously, and tried to focus back on the board. He could see Heather and Ana both glaring at him, though, and he sank further into his seat. It’s not like he was afraid of them. Heather was actually pretty nice when Jack wasn’t in the vicinity, even if Astrid had never liked her for some reason. Although, Heather had stopped being nearly as nice when she’d realized Hiccup didn’t like girls the way he liked guys. She hadn’t been mean, per se, but she had become a lot less clingy.

He just didn’t like being glared at like there was a target on his back. Especially when he hadn’t even done anything. Jack had chosen him as a partner, not the other way around.

Hiccup tensed.

Oh, Thor-almighty, Jack had chosen him as a partner and he’d been stupid enough to agree. They were going to have to work on some project together, outside of school, for a month. How was he going to concentrate? How was he going to get anything done? How many ways was he going to be incredibly awkward?

Hiccup sighed as he vaguely took in what Mr. Sanderson was writing on the board about the project.

He should talk to Tuffnut before he left school. He could really use some of that Dragon Nip right about now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to purge all my old fanfic accounts. So I'm re-uploading this here. I'm sad because that meant I had to lose all the comments and kudos, but that's life. More to come.
> 
> Btw I'm Lampsprite-art on Tumblr. Feel free to follow and/or message me there. ;)


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